In a new interview with Playboy, Affleck, 41, says Garner, also 41, helped provide him with a stable home that separated him from a string of unsuccessful films and being tabloid fodder following his relationship with Jennifer Lopez.

"My wife was definitely around then," says Affleck. "Getting to know her, falling in love with her and being connected with her gave me a foundation to reach out and say, 'Okay, I'm going to do Hollywoodland. I'm going to direct Gone Baby Gone,' " Affleck said. "Those were the steps forward I needed to put positive stuff on the board."

"She is by leaps and bounds the most important person to me in that respect," Affleck said of Garner's resolute support. "Over the past 10 years she has allowed me to have a stable home life while accomplishing my professional goals."

The soon-to-beBatman added: "Once I'd made it, the most critical thing was that she said, 'If you're going to work 24 hours a day, that's cool. I'm going to be here.' That allowed me to think, Okay, that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to kill myself over this next period of time."